We used to think that the Walmart HQ in Bentonville going out of business would be one of the most dangerous things that could happen in Arkansas, but, sadly, that’s not the case.
There are dangerous places in The Natural State. And because not every place in Arkansas can be like the state’s safest place, Greenbrier, we set out to determine the most dangerous areas in Arkansas for 2026.
We consulted the FBI’s latest crime report for violent and property crime statistics per capita for every place with over 5,000 residents. In total, we analyzed 66 Arkansas cities. Cities like Pine Bluff and West Memphis just can’t catch a break.
1,922 violent crimes /100k · 4,658 property crimes /100k · #1 most violent in Arkansas
Located in
Crittenden County, Arkansas
Located across the Arkansas River from Memphis, Tennessee, West Memphis is not only known as one of the most dangerous cities in Arkansas but also one of the worst places to live in Arkansas as well.
West Memphis ranks highest in violent crime and second highest in property crime. Residents have a 1 in 52 chance of being a victim of murder, rape, or aggravated assault. Maybe “The Grind City” across the river is rubbing off on West Memphis.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,672 violent crimes /100k · 5,214 property crimes /100k · #2 most violent in Arkansas
Located in
Pulaski County, Arkansas
Unfortunately, Little Rock is again stuck at the top of the most dangerous places in Arkansas list. Little Rock residents have a 1 in 19 chance of being a victim of property crime, and they are particularly likely to be a victim of larceny, burglary, or car theft. Little Rock is not only the biggest city in Arkansas, but it is also one of the snobbiest places and one of the most expensive places to live in Arkansas.
Although the name may not be very exciting, Little Rock residents still think they have a lot to be snobby about.
Located smack-dab in the middle of Arkansas, Little Rock was named after a small rock formation on the Arkansas River’s south bank. Well, it probably sounded better when Jean-Baptiste Bernard de la Harpe said, “La Petite Roche”, but the name stuck.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,581 violent crimes /100k · 4,548 property crimes /100k · #4 most violent in Arkansas
Located in
Jefferson County, Arkansas
Pine Bluff has a history stretching back to at least 1839, when the community was first incorporated. Built along the Arkansas River, about 45 minutes southeast of Little Rock, the city keeps a sense of its history, providing a home to the Arkansas Railroad Museum.
So Pine Bluff has the history stuff covered. What about the present? Well, that’s when the trouble comes in. The town exists as the number 3 most dangerous spot in Arkansas.
Violence represents a major problem. In a community with a total population of 38,524, Pine Bluff suffered 14 murders. That gives it the number 5 highest rate in the state.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,360 violent crimes /100k · 4,420 property crimes /100k · #5 most violent in Arkansas
Located in
Mississippi County, Arkansas
Blytheville, the fourth most dangerous place to live in Arkansas, has earned this reputation due to its concerning crime statistics. With a population of 12,354, Blytheville has experienced 168 violent crimes, including 5 murder cases, 5 rapes, 23 robberies, and 135 aggravated assaults. These crime rates contribute to a general sense of insecurity and danger within the city.
Located in Mississippi County, Blytheville is the county seat and the largest city in the area. It is situated north of West Memphis and has a rich history dating back to its founding in 1879.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,180 violent crimes /100k · 4,312 property crimes /100k · #9 most violent in Arkansas
Located in
Pulaski County, Arkansas
Located in Pulaski County, North Little Rock is the fifth most dangerous city in Arkansas for 2026. Known as the twin city of Little Rock, this place has a population of 64,487. However, it grapples with significant crime rates. The city reported 761 violent crimes, including 19 murders, making it the sixth highest deadliest city in the state.
North Little Rock also contends with high levels of property crime. There were 2,781 reported incidents of property crime. This results in a property crime rate of 4,312/100k, making it the city with the 5 highest rate in the state.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,630 violent crimes /100k · 3,439 property crimes /100k · #3 most violent in Arkansas
Located in
Phillips County, Arkansas
Helena-West Helena is the county seat and the largest city within Phillips County, but that’s not saying much. Ranked number 48.0 in population, Helena-West Helena’s residents experienced 8 murders and 137 violent crimes in the 2024 reporting year.
Helena-West Helena also ranks as one of the “>worst places to live and one of the poorest places to live in Arkansas. But, if you like living in a small town, Helena-West Helena is a great place to retire.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,319 violent crimes /100k · 3,487 property crimes /100k · #6 most violent in Arkansas
Located in
Union County, Arkansas
Ranked as one of the worst places to live in Arkansas, El Dorado ranks 11th highest for property crime and sixth highest for violent crime. That means residents have a 1 in 75 chance of being a victim of a violent crime and a 1 in 28 chance in being a victim of a property crime.
El Dorado was the heart of the 1920s oil boom in South Arkansas and is still to this day a center for oil production and refining. But all that glitters is not gold in the city of El Dorado. Better keep your gold in your pockets and your doors locked in this town.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,087 violent crimes /100k · 4,050 property crimes /100k · #11 most violent in Arkansas
Located in
Ouachita County, Arkansas
Camden is a city in and the county seat of Ouachita County in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Arkansas.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
950 violent crimes /100k · 3,961 property crimes /100k · #13 most violent in Arkansas
Located in
Pulaski County, Arkansas
Jacksonville, a suburb of Little Rock, is part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock Conway Metropolitan area. With Little Rock ranked at top of this list, it’s easy to see why some of that crime would spill over to this smaller community.
Jacksonville ranks 13th highest in violent crime and eighth highest in property crime. So residents are more likely to be a victim of burglary, larceny, and car theft in this town. You’ll want to make sure you keep a close eye on your valuables in Jacksonville.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,023 violent crimes /100k · 3,447 property crimes /100k · #12 most violent in Arkansas
Located in
Cross County, Arkansas
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Arkansas’s statewide median.
On the map
Where crime hits hardest in Arkansas
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most dangerous cities in Arkansas for 2026?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Arkansas. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Arkansas, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.
For our analysis, we focused on the 2024 data, specifically the 2024 Crime In The United States Report for Arkansas.
So what criteria did we use? Have a look:
- Violent Crimes Per Capita
- Property Crimes Per Capita
In order to make the analysis as apples to apples as possible, we only considered Arkansas cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 66 cities in Arkansas.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 66 for the two criteria with a #1 ranking being the most dangerous for the particular criteria.
Next, we averaged the two rankings into one “Dangerous Index”.
Finally, we ranked every city on the “Dangerous Index” with the lowest index being the most dangerous in Arkansas — West Memphis. Any ties went to the smaller city.
This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. It is our eleventh time ranking the most dangerous places to live in Arkansas and is updated for 2026. Property crime in Arkansas runs about 10 percent above the national rate — worth a minute to compare home security systems before you sign a lease.
The full plate
Crime By City In Arkansas
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Dangerous Index | Population | Total Crimes Per 100K | Violent Crimes Per 100K | Property Crimes Per 100K | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Memphis | 1.50 | 23,617 | 6,580 | 1,922 | 4,658 | 17 |
| 2 | Little Rock | 1.50 | 204,247 | 6,886 | 1,672 | 5,214 | 36 |
| 3 | Pine Bluff | 3.50 | 38,524 | 6,129 | 1,581 | 4,548 | 14 |
| 4 | Blytheville | 4.50 | 12,354 | 5,780 | 1,360 | 4,420 | 5 |
| 5 | North Little Rock | 7.00 | 64,487 | 5,493 | 1,180 | 4,312 | 19 |
| 6 | Helena-West Helena | 8.00 | 8,404 | 5,069 | 1,630 | 3,439 | 8 |
| 7 | El Dorado | 8.50 | 16,603 | 4,806 | 1,319 | 3,487 | 3 |
| 8 | Camden | 9.00 | 10,025 | 5,137 | 1,087 | 4,050 | 1 |
| 9 | Jacksonville | 10.50 | 28,958 | 4,911 | 950 | 3,961 | 6 |
| 10 | Wynne | 12.00 | 7,919 | 4,470 | 1,023 | 3,447 | 1 |
| 11 | Fort Smith | 12.00 | 89,977 | 4,527 | 842 | 3,684 | 0 |
| 12 | Texarkana | 13.00 | 29,173 | 4,398 | 823 | 3,575 | 4 |
| 13 | Forrest City | 13.50 | 12,332 | 4,030 | 1,176 | 2,854 | 5 |
| 14 | Trumann | 14.00 | 7,367 | 3,719 | 1,181 | 2,538 | 0 |
| 15 | Paragould | 15.00 | 30,814 | 3,813 | 915 | 2,898 | 1 |
| 16 | Stuttgart | 16.00 | 7,642 | 3,599 | 1,309 | 2,290 | 0 |
| 17 | Hot Springs | 16.50 | 38,001 | 4,697 | 534 | 4,163 | 6 |
| 18 | Hope | 17.00 | 8,445 | 3,908 | 710 | 3,197 | 1 |
| 19 | Jonesboro | 17.00 | 81,256 | 3,765 | 720 | 3,045 | 5 |
| 20 | Morrilton | 22.00 | 7,112 | 3,346 | 534 | 2,812 | 0 |
| 21 | Pocahontas | 22.00 | 7,668 | 3,130 | 665 | 2,465 | 2 |
| 22 | Magnolia | 23.00 | 10,650 | 3,042 | 789 | 2,254 | 2 |
| 23 | Malvern | 23.00 | 11,155 | 3,057 | 654 | 2,403 | 0 |
| 24 | Marion | 24.00 | 13,619 | 2,871 | 778 | 2,093 | 0 |
| 25 | Mena | 29.50 | 5,633 | 2,947 | 373 | 2,574 | 0 |
| 26 | Sherwood | 29.50 | 33,223 | 2,571 | 635 | 1,935 | 1 |
| 27 | Conway | 30.50 | 71,417 | 2,571 | 524 | 2,047 | 2 |
| 28 | Fayetteville | 30.50 | 104,089 | 2,795 | 424 | 2,371 | 8 |
| 29 | Beebe | 31.00 | 9,022 | 2,383 | 709 | 1,674 | 0 |
| 30 | Searcy | 32.50 | 24,108 | 2,667 | 398 | 2,269 | 0 |
| 31 | Benton | 32.50 | 38,408 | 2,679 | 414 | 2,265 | 0 |
| 32 | Van Buren | 33.00 | 24,446 | 2,520 | 475 | 2,045 | 0 |
| 33 | Clarksville | 34.00 | 9,680 | 2,500 | 465 | 2,035 | 0 |
| 34 | Springdale | 34.00 | 91,630 | 2,412 | 491 | 1,921 | 4 |
| 35 | Berryville | 36.00 | 5,782 | 2,750 | 277 | 2,473 | 0 |
| 36 | Monticello | 36.50 | 8,095 | 1,779 | 544 | 1,235 | 1 |
| 37 | Siloam Springs | 37.00 | 19,985 | 1,851 | 495 | 1,356 | 0 |
| 38 | Sheridan | 39.00 | 5,268 | 1,651 | 532 | 1,120 | 0 |
| 39 | Batesville | 39.00 | 11,623 | 1,901 | 439 | 1,463 | 0 |
| 40 | Heber Springs | 39.50 | 7,333 | 2,209 | 355 | 1,855 | 0 |
| 41 | Newport | 40.00 | 8,115 | 1,725 | 493 | 1,232 | 0 |
| 42 | Mountain Home | 40.00 | 13,427 | 2,532 | 276 | 2,257 | 1 |
| 43 | Arkadelphia | 43.00 | 10,222 | 2,133 | 293 | 1,839 | 0 |
| 44 | Harrison | 43.00 | 13,524 | 2,107 | 318 | 1,789 | 0 |
| 45 | Barling | 44.00 | 5,366 | 1,696 | 354 | 1,342 | 0 |
| 46 | Russellville | 44.00 | 29,467 | 1,734 | 350 | 1,385 | 0 |
| 47 | Alma | 44.50 | 6,053 | 1,487 | 446 | 1,041 | 0 |
| 48 | Cabot | 45.00 | 27,405 | 1,668 | 354 | 1,314 | 1 |
| 49 | Bryant | 46.00 | 22,262 | 2,233 | 175 | 2,057 | 0 |
| 50 | Rogers | 46.50 | 75,307 | 1,616 | 341 | 1,275 | 1 |
| 51 | De Queen | 48.50 | 5,998 | 1,934 | 217 | 1,717 | 0 |
| 52 | Pea Ridge | 49.50 | 9,480 | 960 | 369 | 591 | 0 |
| 53 | Ward | 51.00 | 7,108 | 1,351 | 281 | 1,069 | 0 |
| 54 | White Hall | 52.50 | 5,398 | 1,167 | 278 | 889 | 0 |
| 55 | Warren | 53.50 | 5,141 | 1,362 | 253 | 1,109 | 0 |
| 56 | Lowell | 55.00 | 12,036 | 897 | 258 | 640 | 0 |
| 57 | Bentonville | 55.00 | 61,109 | 1,083 | 255 | 828 | 3 |
| 58 | Maumelle | 55.50 | 19,516 | 1,296 | 179 | 1,117 | 0 |
| 59 | Farmington | 59.00 | 10,608 | 594 | 236 | 358 | 0 |
| 60 | Bella Vista | 60.00 | 33,122 | 691 | 202 | 489 | 1 |
| 61 | Greenwood | 60.50 | 9,721 | 545 | 216 | 329 | 0 |
| 62 | Tontitown | 61.00 | 8,554 | 655 | 129 | 526 | 0 |
| 63 | Prairie Grove | 62.00 | 8,572 | 618 | 128 | 490 | 0 |
| 64 | Centerton | 63.50 | 26,233 | 385 | 145 | 240 | 1 |
| 65 | Cave Springs | 64.50 | 6,248 | 352 | 96 | 256 | 0 |
| 66 | Hot Springs Village | 66.00 | 15,861 | 277 | 88 | 189 | 0 |
Source: FBI UCR 2024. 66 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Locking It All Up In Arkansas
So what is the most dangerous city in Arkansas? After analyzing 66 cities in Arkansas, West Memphis takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Arkansas based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2024.
The latest FBI crime data shows that West Memphis ranks as the most dangerous city in Arkansas for 2026.
The most dangerous cities in Arkansas are West Memphis, Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Blytheville, North Little Rock, Helena-West Helena, El Dorado, Camden, Jacksonville, and Wynne.
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in West Memphis and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up. Not sold on Arkansas? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Most Dangerous Places To Live In Arkansas FAQs
Is Arkansas a dangerous state?
Yes, Arkansas is a dangerous state as it ranks as the #3 most dangerous state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Arkansas ranks fourth most dangerous in the United States — 81.7% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Natural State ranks eighth most dangerous in the United States — 33.72% worse than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.
Is Little Rock, AR a dangerous city?
Yes, Little Rock is a dangerous city. Little Rock ranks as the #8 most dangerous out of 328 major cities over 100,000 people in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. Keep in mind that are always safe and dangerous parts of any city, so even though Little Rock might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Heights is the safest in Little Rock, while Stephens is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Little Rock ranks third highest in America — 231.18% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 16th highest in the United States — 96.01% worse than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022 and that no city in America is ‘dangerous’. Despite the uptick in murders, it’s nothing like you’d see in Tijuana or Caracas where the murder rate is 2x any American city.
